1. Scope of Invention
This invention is a device for holding the core of a roll onto which is placed cloth, paper, rugs or other cloth or like materials. More specifically, this device is a geared core winder for holding the core of a roll used particularly with machines for measuring cloth or cloth-like material which is round onto large core rolls.
2. Prior Art
Devices for holding roll cores have been an important element of machines for the winding or measuring of cloth, paper, weblike products or other such sheet products for a number of years. Generally these products are wound onto hollow roll cores whose length frequently is in excess of 4 feet. Common roll cores are generally manufactured from a hollow thickened cardboard-like material with a wall thickness of about 1/8 to about 3/4 of an inch. The overall diameter of these roll core may be anywhere from an inch to several inches.
Conventional devices for holding these roll cores, sometimes called chucks, are frequently ribbed to provide a better grip on the roll cores. For example, a conventional ribbed cone which is placed on a metal bar which runs within a core is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,244,865. U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,251 discloses a conventional machine for measuring the length of cloth which contains a pair of devices for holding the rolls of cloth. Each of these devices for holding the roll of cloth contains two chucks, 9, each of which is ribbed and one of each pair of which is adjustable in a horizontal plane to permit the device to hold various lengths of roll cores. A similar type of device for use with asphalt coatings is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,854. This device uses core engaging splines, 32, on the roll supporting units to hold the cores in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,037,988 discloses a core chuck with a key 3 which extends from the surface of a conical piece which fits within a notch in the roll core and, thus, restricts the movement of the roll core placed on the core chuck.
Another device designed for prevention of movement of a roll core is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,231,140 which discloses a core plug containing spiraling threads, 12, of greater diameter than the shaft, 8, of the core plug. These spiral threads tend to grab onto the inside of the roll core and restrict movement.
A more sophisticated device for holding roll cores for paper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,251. This device discloses a bearing for supporting rolls of paper with an extension device, 7, which extends from the surface of the supporting device to grab the inner surface of the roll core. This extension device is extended out by the combination of a pair of telescopically coupled elements impacted by an expansion spring. See also U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,701 which discloses another device for holding a roll core.
Another device for gripping the inside of a roll core, designed by the Measuregraph Company of High Ridge of St. Louis, Mo., is a "U"-joint saw blade bar disclosed in an advertising brochure dated May, 1985. In this device, a single blade is affixed to a shaft which runs inside of a roll core. The blade is secured to the central core along one edge with the inner portion inside of an outer circular piece thus permitting the saw blade to rise to a position outside of the outer circular piece and grab the inside of a roll core.
Although each of these products provides a core winding device for controlling the movement of a roll core which holds paper, fabric or web-like products, there is still a need for improvements to the core winder. Specifically, current core winders tend to tear the core rolls because of their ribbed surface structure. In addition, slippage is still a significant problem especially with large rolls of material. Further, current core winders have difficulty in adjusting to different size roll cores and may require a number of different core winder devices to fit various sizes of roll cores.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to produce a core winder which will be useful in the winding of fabric, rugs, paper, materials and other web-like products on roll cores.
It is another object of this invention to produce a core winder that is less destructive of the roll cores when the core winder is in operation.
It is a still further object of this invention to produce a core winder with less slippage of the roll cores and which produces less vibration when the roll core is turned.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a core winder which can be used for various diameters of roll cores.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a review of the description and the appended claims.